


Complete my soul

by LadyJessYU



Category: The Shannara Chronicles (TV)
Genre: Amberle's pov, Amerle is proud and kind of mean, Canon Compliant, Erertia is her normal 'I pretend to have no feelings' self, Gen, Let's ignore tha fact that I know nothing of this universe, Pre-OT3, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Wil is just hopelessly stuck in between
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-30
Updated: 2016-02-28
Packaged: 2018-05-17 05:15:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5855524
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyJessYU/pseuds/LadyJessYU
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When your soul mate is everything you wanted. And when it isn't.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> “We all have our own road to walk. Whether rocky, curving, straight or smooth, what good is a lonely road? It’s when we run and intersect with other roads that defines our road. When road meets road do we get direction, and choices to cross into another life.”  
> ― Anthony Liccione

Amberle is not really a typical elven princess. She never was. When she was just a girl she didn’t play with dolls but ran around the castle with boys, seeking the next secret place to uncover (secret usually meant forbidden). She would not sit quietly through the long, tiring lectures of her teachers, but rush to her uncle for another sword-fighting lesson. She was stubborn, impatient and loud. People say she changed after her father’s untimely death. That it made her grow up. It did. She learned to keep herself at bay. Admittedly, there was one thing in which she was always a typical elven princess. She wanted true love, her soul mate, a brave and handsome price like the one from the old tales.

On her 13th birthday the mark appeared on the wrist – one circle within the other. Simple and elegant. After two days she broke the code and revealed it to Lorin. His was on his shin and resembled a fish. Only at the end of the year did she find out that no Elf in the land had the same mark. It didn’t bother her much at the time. But the more years passed the more frustrating it was getting. The two circles were burning into her wrist, mocking her. She put a wristband over it, never to look at it.

Amberle runs the Gauntlet and becomes the member of the Chosen. And then she stops thinking about the mark. Why worry about finding a soul mate when you are plagued by visions of killing six people, including your boyfriend? She runs away from the castle, from herself and straight into a cunning Rover girl. The words ‘Do you think I’m actually that stupid?’ play on her lips as she takes the goblet but there are more important thing than putting the pretty human in her place. She steals the horse and tosses her the silver cuff. The glove still covers part of the mark.

She doesn’t have much time to dwell on the Rover girl. She meets Wil, a half-elf with wandering eyes, who changes her life. Apparently, magic survived beyond the elven mark of a soul mate and now demons are hunting her and the last druid is dying. As much as it all sounds insane and dangerous, she welcomes it. It finally gives her some real purpose. She is ready to stay on that course. She falters a bit when Wil starts undressing himself. It is her eyes that now wander and linger a bit longer. It is not because he is handsome… well, it is. To an extent. It is the mark on his clear skin, just above his hip bone, the same mark as hers. Before she can gather her wits, he is in the water and she has a blade pressed against her neck. Eretria, as Wil informs her, is breathing down her neck. Literally.

Amberle becomes intrigued by the connection between Wil and the Rover. It makes her mad. She’s mad at him like he had no right to do whatever he did with her. Why her? Why this Rover who keeps interrupting their lives? The Rover that keeps changing sides any way the wind blows. One minute she is forcing her to abandon Wil, the other she is rushing to his side. Maybe it is a ‘thank you’ for saving her life. Amberle did lung in front of the Fury for the Rover girl, like Will did for her the day before, like he did again that night.

When he tells her he’s leaving, that it’s too much she wants to ask if it is her. She does not, her pride won’t let her. Her pride too stops her for running into his arms when he bursts into the meeting, Wil, the last of the Shannara bloodline. She remembers the girl who dreamed of her prince and smiles. She allows herself to hope. One test and they will continue. As he wishes her good luck, his fingers subtly trace the lines of her mark. They are in this together – one soul.  
But what she sees, what she faces in the Ellcrys makes her realize how foolish she was. This isn’t a romantic quest but a dangerous mission. So, she pushes Wil away and it pains her more than he will ever know. She is breaking the heart of the only boy who understands her.

With all the mixed thoughts and feelings creating a whirlwind in her mind, it is incredible she recognizes the face of a cloaked figure.

“Eretria!” she calls after her, surprised.

When she attempts to kill her, Amberle feels a pang in her heart, in the place where the blade would have struck.

The Rover will surely be sentenced to death. The only reason she decides to give her a chance is because of Wil. When she finds out Will once again lied, she wants to push him into that cell with her. They are, it seems, perfectly suited for each other.

The Rover needs to change to be the convincing bait and Amberle will be damned if she lets her out of her sight.

She tosses one of her dresses into the Rover’s face, “Get dressed.” she orders and sits on the bed. Maybe it makes petty but unlike Wil she is not foolish to succumb to the Rover’s alleged charm.

She slowly unbuckles. She’s putting on a show, taunting is a second nature to this human and Amberle will not look away and let her win. She peels of her shirt and as she is taking of her tank top, Amberle sees it.

“Eyes up here, princess.” she hears an amused tone.

It’s not happening, it’s not possible... It cannot be. Amberle runs out of the room, her heart beating loudly in her throat.

“How long have you known?” she hisses at Wil while he’s in the middle of complaining how she treats the Rover.

“Known what?”

“That she has the...” Amberle yanks her glove off, “The mark.”

“What?!” he is utterly confused, “Where?”

“What do you mean where? Where were you looking while she was… ‘attacking’ you?!”

His ears turn red and he mumbles. “It was dark.”

“Ask her.”

“Maybe we shouldn’t-“

“Then I will.” she tries to storm off but he pulls her back.

“You haven’t had a knife to her throat for two days. Let’s make it three.”

Against herself, she chuckles. Where Wil keeps her calm, his eyes like the clear sky, the Rover makes her blood boil.

“I will ask her.” he promises.

Wil returns shortly with a bloody nose.

‘At least you didn’t sleep with her this time.’ she almost says but bites her tongue. She doesn’t want to give the impression that she cares, “I hope she told you something.”

“It just appeared, she doesn’t remember.” He lifts his chin up; maybe it will stop the bleeding.

“Right.” She snorts and looks over at the Rover trying in vain to get rid of her chains.

“Maybe Cephelo branded her. She says it’s possible, she doesn’t remember half of it. that’s all she said before…” he points to his nose.

“She’s lying! That’s what she does. Only Elves have the mark.”

“If I tell you that I felt some connection between the three of us before I learned about the visions will you promise to keep an open mind?”

“No.”

The frustration is oozing from her and he knows it’s best to let it go, “I’ll be over there then.”

It is obvious that Cephelo is far from nurturing but she would be more inclined to believe she tattooed herself after she saw Wil’s mark. Yes, that’s it. Another one of Rover’s plans.

As if summoned to prove her wrong, Cephelo and his men jump out of nowhere. Before she realizes what is going on, they are tying her to a tree. Oh, how quickly the tables have turned.

“Eretria.” Amberle calls and hopes her desperation is well hidden. She reminds her that she too is chosen, that they were in it together.

“We couldn’t be any less together.” she spits out.

She then does what she thinks could get her out – she offers gold. Rovers care for gold more than for anything else, don’t they? And she needs to find Wil, to make sure he’s all right. They need to continue the mission.

And whatever Eretria was going to say dies on her lips. She looks away and stiffens at her father’s touch and Amberle thinks that maybe Wil was not completely wrong.

She wants to scream when he touches her, but she cannot. She wants to call for the Rover girl… no, for Eretria but she cannot. She wants to tell her about her mark even if it isn’t true, she just needs to. Maybe then she would come back.

This is how she will end up. A slave to a horrid human, she is kicking and screaming and not for once does she let herself think it’s in vain. Someone will come for her – Wil, her uncle or even Allanon. Someone has to. And someone does.

For the first time she likes Eretria’s opportunistic nature, even that stupid smug smile. And maybe, just maybe she will let Wil make her reconsider that whole soul mate thing.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really wanted this fic to be a one-shot but that episode was so inspiring. And the mark on Eretria's back made it perfect, all I missed was the shape.

Amberle wakes up with a jolt followed by the mocking of their wretched prisoner. She is too tired to respond, tired of the recurring dreams-turned-nightmares. She should have known that the beautifully carefree moment with Wil was but an illusion. The kisses that felt like they were bringing her to life are wishful thinking.

Now that the real Wil is by her side, she cannot confide in him. He would want to help, to comfort her, make her feel better and she cannot let him do that. It would make them too reliant on each other. Maybe he reads it in her eyes, like she can read his, because he doesn’t pressure her. It makes her feel both thankful and frustrated. As she always goes for for being rational, she pushes the frustration down, hoping it would soon fade.

She focuses on the road and when Cephelo suggests a shortcut she chooses to accept. Whether it is because she thinks it’s for the best or she just wants to show that she’s in charge, it doesn’t matter. The decision has been made. The decision that takes them on an icy path and straight into an eerie castle. She is disregarding the strange ambient for the time, thinking that their equally strange host would honor their status. And if need be, she will reveal her true identity. But for now, she finally has the time to relax and bathe properly. Almost, her peace is disturbed soon.

The Rover walks silently on the edge of the tub. It comes to Amberle’s mind how Eretria always seems to be walking on edge, always unsure which side to go. And Amberle is not sure what her angle will be today. She opts for banter, starting with another sting at her status.

“The princess joke?” Amberle can work with that, it’s nothing unexpected. Eretria is already smiling, “What’s my line? I didn’t know Rovers bathe at all? Something like that?”

Instead of continuing down that road, she takes a swing at her relationship with Wil. But Amberle doesn’t find the topic surprising. What surprises her is the Rover’s lack of originality. She supposes she misjudged her. “So, it’s Rover custom to jump into bed with any guy you meet?”

“Honestly?” before Amberle says ‘honesty would be refreshing’, Eretria starts moving towards her, slowly, seductively, “It’s not just guys.”

It's different and it leaves Amberle dumbstruck. Eretria holds Amberle’s gaze. Amberle holds her breath.

“What? Afraid you might like it?”

She recovers quickly and scoffs. This is Eretria, always with an agenda, “You and Chephelo deserve each other.”

The words make her step back and Amberle would be proud of herself if not for that brief instant of something like hurt flashing in the Rover’s eyes. She turns her back on her and the mark is right there again. The Rover’s body has many tattoos but she cannot resist asking. Eretria tells her more or less the same story she’s told Wil. The words somehow seem to stumble over the lump in her throat. The unsaid makes Amberle want to comfort her and maybe she would have caved if not for the interruption.

The dinner is served. It bothers her that Wil’s taking the first watch, she would be less tense if he were near. She is trying to keep up the polite conversation, but Cephelo keeps sabotaging with his insane theories. It just makes her paranoid as well. Eretria is quiet as usual in the presence of her father. Only occasionally does she look up at her and the last thing Amberle sees is Eretria’s eyes going wide.

She wakes up dangling from the ceiling believing if she moves her arms will rip. The burning in her shoulders is unbearable so she does the stupid, stupid thing and reveals her identity.

Her host and now jailer is describing the ways of torture, proudly showing her the world she never imagined could exist. At one point she prays the fear would dull her senses just a bit. The door opens with a bang to chase her hope of rescue away. That little girl, a mere child, is standing calmly as Wil’s blood is dripping onto the floor of the dungeon. Her heart sinks, she wishes her mind was already gone. The world without him is almost unimaginable. There is no way others could get to her. They are strung somewhere, awaiting the same destiny. And soon the world will be clad into darkness. It serves them right. Sending a sheltered princess on such mission, maybe she was meant to fail. If it is true what her jailer said, which most likely is, they do deserve to perish…

Amberle is not sure what is happening but Wil is there. He is alive and he’s come to help. She wraps her shaky hands around him, she never wants to let go. She’s watched him die or almost die too many times. After so long, she lets herself be herself and kisses him. Now, she is sure he is real… the kiss that brings to life.

The feeling is short lived once she sees the look of Eretria’s face. And she feels solely responsible for it. She does something and others suffer the consequences. She kissed Wil and hurt Eretria. She agreed to a shortcut and now an innocent child is dead.

She runs a sword easily through the body of a deranged Elf and feels absolutely nothing.


	3. Chapter 3

Amberle remembers her grandfather telling her how when facing death, your whole life flashes before your eyes – the good and the bad, everything that makes you who you are. Her favourite of his war stories was of his close encounter with a Gnome. The yellowish, slimy hand was holding the sword, the blade pushing into her grandfather’s chest. As the Gnome was lifting the sword to deliver the final blow, her grandfather told her he saw the faces of everyone he ever loved. They helped him snap and fight back against all odds. And now, as Amberle is falling into the abyss, she expects to see something, anything of her, as of recently, very eventful life. She looks to her left. Through the blazing wind, she sees Wil and Eretria. She closes her eyes and surrenders.

The strangely comforting feeling of weightlessness is interrupted by the shattering against something hard. Amberle soon realizes it is water. The tide is strong pushing and pulling. She is trying to get herself upward, the water is filling her lungs. It’s cold and sharp and it’s cutting her from the inside. One strong jolt lurches her against a jagged rock. She can feel her skin ripping she doesn’t scream just lets tears mix with the water. Once she stops fighting back, she realizes she should have done it from the start. Just go with the flow. She’s recently accepted that philosophy in almost all aspects of her life.

She is stumbling over the water, refusing to let the sword on her hip wear her down. She cannot give up. They are not dead, they cannot die for her. Not them as well.

The faint sound of talking is not far and Amberle lets the silver of hope grow in her heart. Taught by previous experience, she moves slowly, sneaking behind the bushes. She spots the pair of humans and as she is trying to discern what they are talking about she realizes they would do anything but help. They say something about an Elf falling from the sky. It’s Wil. It’s got to be. Before she can step closer to investigate, a hand is over her lips, pulling her back.

“Shhhh...” Eretria’s eyes are steady, focused on hers. It makes her almost not afraid.

“They’ve done something to Wil. We need to question-“

“Those aren’t just any humans. They are elf hunters.”

Amberle’s not sure what to do so she lets Eretria pull her away, into the woods. She is walking behind the Rover who doesn’t seem to have any intention to stop. But they have to. Who knows what is happening to Wil.

She calls for her but to no avail. “We have to go back!” she shouts.

“You’re not safe there.”

“So, we leave Wil?” she knew the Rover is all about surviving but this is too much, “I thought you at least cared about him a bit?”

That stops her in her tracks. She turns to Ameble. “Why do you think I’m keeping you safe? Listen… we’ll find cover and then go look for him once the night falls.”

She wants to point out the flaws in the plan, mainly that they do not know if Wil has until nightfall but the shower of arrows is being flung in their direction. They are running, Amberle soon starts to feel burning in her joints. It is almost like the Gauntlet, only she doesn’t know the path by heart. She doesn’t know where to look first, if she falls that’s it for her. And she does. A branch appears from nowhere, she trips. Eretria helps her up. For a long moment she contemplates going back for the sword, the family heirloom. ‘Life is more precious’ she realizes and pushes Eretria out of the arrow’s way. They keep running and running until she starts to feel dizzy. She doesn’t look back even when the whooshing sound stops. When they eventually slow down, she fights the urge to vomit. But there is nothing in her stomach but the remnants of poison from their Pykon host. No, she will not think about that, about the life disappearing from his eyes. She will think about something good, like escaping again against all odds.

“Sometimes I feel there’s someone watching over us. Call it magic or fate….” the cracking sound silences her. The girls look at each other and again they are falling. Amberle thinks that she’s summoning bad luck somehow. This time the fall is short but it hurts almost as bad. It knocked the air out of her lungs and filled it with duct. Tingling spreads over her body.

She feels Eretria’s hand on her leg. That is good, the fall didn’t hurt her beyond repair.

“Are you all right?”

She confirms shakily. “Where are we?”

She looks at Eretria’s puzzled expression than at the scene in front of them. Chairs and tables with once beautiful floral arrangements on them are pushed to one side of a large room. The two of them are in the center, elevated on a podium. She’s heard of place like these. Yet it feels more familiar than just a story. It is like she can see it, the way it used to be, “Buildings from the age of man, buried during the Great War.”

“You can’t seriously believe that.”

Oh, but she does. Like a time capsule, frozen in time, a hidden reminder of how things were. And how they are supposed to be. She sees what it was to be a party. Eretria sees something bad, creepy. They are just too different, two ends of a spectrum, collided by an awful mistake. It’s no time for sentimentality. She takes Eretria’s hand. “We need to get out of here.”

And the girl starts working on it immediately.

Amberle couldn’t help it. After what felt like eternity trying to find a way to climb up (she admires Eretria’s persistency) she looked around and found a book called yearbook. There were pictures of all the people who attended this school. She remembered her own studies, friends, Lorin… “They had no idea their world was about to end. They look happy.” she said the last part more loudly, hoping Eretria would contribute the conversation.

“They look dead to me.”

She sighs. Of course Eretria would say something like that. They are stuck in the hole in the ground, Wil is nowhere to be seen, probably in danger and she can’t even make an effort… It’s making her blood boil. And she thought they were past that. “You can drop the whole tough girl act.”

“What do you mean?”

She snorts. Damn it, she is infuriating. “You helped us. Multiple times. You came back for us at Pykon. You saved my life. So ‘I don’t care’ act is not working anymore.”

“Don’t overthink it, princess.” she turns and looks at her for the first time. A look of complete indifference is in her eyes, “I need the coins you promised.”

Oh, she almost pulls it off. But Eretria doesn’t know how stubborn Amberle can be. Yes, actions do speak louder than words but it would be nice to hear them. She decides to get out her confession. “I don’t believe you.”

“I don’t care.” she snaps at her. Amberle doesn’t say a word, she lets the silence do the work. A small, knowing smile is on her lips. The Rover girl holds the gaze for a while but ultimately looks away, “Fine, I do care…”

She is taking steps towards her and this time what Amberle fells is not dread but anticipation. This time she is not thinking of an exit strategy.

The Rover fools her again jabbing at her girly ideas (she will never learn) and Amberle’s had it. “Let’s just find a way out of here.”

“Fine.”

“Fine.”


	4. Chapter 4

They walk in silence, not thinking about their little chat and all they find is one dead end after another. The place seems like an ancient maze and them, destined to roam the hallways forever. It is hard to keep the spirits up in such situation. Wil would have had an encouraging word or two. But Wil is not with them.

“This is pointless.” every step is pulling them away from him. Amberle hits the wall with her whole body. She feels the sting, the reminder of the cut. Half of her arm is bloody and she hasn’t even noticed.

“You’re hurt.”

“It’s nothing.”

“It’s not nothing.” Eritrea huffs, exasperated. She takes a jacket and wraps her around Amberle, “I need to look at that.”

From the tone, Amberle realizes she shouldn’t put up a fight. She smiles – actions over words. “So you do care?”

“That I might have to carry you as literal dead weight until the Elf hunters catch us? Kind of.”

She’s ignoring the Rover’s muttering under her breath… something about being reckless. Like Amberle could ever be the reckless one. In the pitch dark, something on the ground catches her eye. She picks up three dice from the dust. Three blue dice like the elfstones, the color of Wil’s eyes. She squeezes them, they give her strength; they keep her calm. 

Eretria has needles stashed in her belt. “How do you not hurt yourself with so many… pointy things on you?” she asks, half joking.

“You either learn o the job or die. I’ll teach you someday. Now stop squirming.”

Someday. Feels like a promising future, the two of them and Wil. “Do you think he made it?”

“Of course he did.” comes an instant reply, “He’s impossible to get rid of.”

“He’ll probably swoop in and save the day.”

“Exactly. And your talking tree told you that you have long way ahead.”

She remembers the vision, the pain, the blood. Eritrea’s touch becomes gentler, her gaze softens. “Hey.” she dips her head trying to catch Amberle’s eye, “What did you see in there?”

And that breaks her. It’s like everything that she’s been bottling up bursts out. She tells her about the visions, about the stained glass window, death, Wil’s blood…

“I’m sorry you had to go through all that.” her voice takes an unfamiliar tone.

Amberle moves away, Eretria’s fingertips, both callous and tender, glaze over her skin. She is tired and angry, she wants to go back home and crawl into her bed. “Look at this, what we’ve done. Maybe we should all perish. Start over.”

“Because that worked out so well the last time.”

“Maybe this time it will. We are probably meant to fail anyway.” a desperate cry catches in her throat, “Three orphans, trying to save the world.”

“Look on the bright side. At least you were not sold for pocket change.”

Amberle manages a small, sad smile. “You shouldn’t-“

“I’m not. Look, I got rid of daddy dearest and after we get this stupid mission over with we’re free.”

She searches for the change in Rover’s eyes. She seems sincere. She seemed sincere before. “Eretria, I swear if this is another one of your-“

“Stop.” she takes Amberle’s hands. It is perhaps the first time that they are not pulling each other away from danger, “I meant that I get you that you have to do this prophesized mission but don’t let some magic thing make you believe you feel something you wouldn’t have.”

Amberle tilts her head, trying to find the meaning behind the unsaid. Is she talking about the mark of a soul mate? How much does she know? Her gaze moves to her wrist than back at Eretria. It’s clear she knows enough.

Like spooked by the weight of her own words, Eretria steps back.

She is not all sure what Eretria means exactly, she never is. Closing the gap between them, she pulls Eretria by that stupid belt of hers and takes a leap of faith. “It’s not…”

At the sound of the Elf hunters, she feels somewhat relieved, she’s not sure how the situation would have panned out.

Hiding is not a good long term plan, so they decide to take out the hunters, one by one. It is hard and terrifying and apart from landing a solid punch or two, Eretria does all the work. As one persistent hunter is lunging at them, Eretria pulls the trigger and the body falls on her. There is a look of horror on Eretria’s face, her hands are shaking as she is struggling to get away. Amberle remembers her words ‘I’m no killer’ and regrets not believing them. She pulls Eretria up, they need to run.

In the end, it is her who stops because she sees it. It is a map, the map to Safehold, another push of destiny. They were meant to fall, to find it. Now, all they have to do is survive. Ultimately, the map is exactly how they find themselves in front of a pointing crossbow. Or, to be more precise, in front of Eretria’s ex. Between thinking of a way out and not allowing Eretria to shield her completely, Amberle is trying to process this newfound information on Rover’s life. Something she cannot decipher is bubbling inside her.

“I’m impressed. Not bad for a pampered princess and her… what are you - her pet?” the huntress, Zora, asks with a sneer.

Amberle can feel the fury rising inside Eretria, threatening to surface so she puts a hand on the small of her back. She remains relatively calm.

Of course, Zora as well does not care about the fact that the world is about to end. “Enough princess!” she turns to Eretria, “I hope you didn’t sell yourself cheap because this one is a real pain.”

“Well, it’s less humiliating than scavenging for ears.”

Zora laughs heartily at that. “You’d know all about humiliation, wouldn’t you?”

Eretria grows more tense, if possible. She doesn’t deliver a snarky comeback which terrifies Amberle more than Zora’s arrow.

“Enough.” she steps forward. “We need to go and you need to let us.”

“Oh, we’re going.” her eyes dart to her once lover, “Eretria… tie her up.”

Zora is smirking as Eretria is tying Amberle up. Amberle hopes Eretria will look at her, she hopes she can tell her she understands. But she doesn’t – not when she’s yanking the rope around her wrists, not when Zora presses the blade against her throat and whisper’s ‘I’ll take good care of your princess’ into her ear.

Zora pushes Eretria and points the arrow at her. “Shame it had to end this way.”

Amberle shuts her eyes, waiting for the sound. Instead, she hears a strange roar from above. Wil appears, kicking the huntress unconscious. In one swift motion, her hands are free and around his neck. “You came.” she manages in a broken tone. Eretria runs into his arms. There’s no time for long reunion. They grab on the rope and are off the ground.

Amberle is about to let out a sigh of relief when she feels the warmth on her right side disappear. She watches helplessly as Eretria is falling, arrow sticking from her hip. She screams her name and Wil wraps a hand around her waist.

“We have go back!”

“No!” Wil squeezes harder, shielding her from the upcoming arrows. Once again, she she wants to scream for being so helpless.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm trying to stick to the show as much as possible but I think there will be great divergence from the last two episodes.


End file.
